SAN FRANCISCO, CA - NOVEMBER 07: United Airlines workers look on as United Airlines flight 747 preapres to take off from San Francisco International Airport for its final flight to Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Mashable noted that several passengers shared similar videos. United Airlines issued the following statement:

United flight 1175 traveling to Honolulu from San Francisco landed safely after the pilots called for an emergency landing because of a loss of the engine cowling (the covering of the engine). Our pilots followed all necessary protocols to safely land the aircraft. The aircraft taxied to the gate and passengers deplaned normally.